Automatic turning machine



Dec. 25, 1928.

- D. TURCOTT AUTOMATIC TURNING MAGHINE s sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1927 D. TURCOTT AUTOMATICA TURNING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 25, 19248.

Dec. 25, 1928.

D. TURCOTT .AUTOMATIC TURNING MACHINE Filed June 23, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.r

DAVID TURCOTT, OF BELOIT, W'ISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO YATES-AIHIERICAN MACHINE COMPANY, OF BELOIT, WISCONSIN, .A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

AUTOMATIC TURNING MACHINE.

Application filed June 23, 1927.

My invention relates to structural and functional betterments in automatic appliances for receiving and holding stock dui ing work thereon, and for delivering the finished product, the appliance being particularly adapted for employment in woodworking machines,but: itis not necessarily limited to such special use.

Une aim ofthe invention, when used in a wood-turning machine, is to provide means for automatically grasping and holding stock incorrect or predetermined relation to the head and tail centers.`

To permit those skilled in this art to un-A derstand the invention, a" present preferred embodiment of the same has been shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in whichllike refer ence characters have been used to designate the saine structiual parts.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is 'afragmentary, horizontal scction through the machine;

Figure' 2y is a vertical cross-section Online 2-2 of Figure 1 n Figure 3 is a` similar section on line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is-a fragmentary section Vof a movable part" of the stationary cam at the tail-end of the appliance;

Figure 5 'is a cross-section of the machine showing the inclined hopper for the superposed pieces ofwork and it indicatesthe rcvolving cutters diagrammaticallyl; Y

Figure 6 `is a face-view of the multiplel tail-stock structure;

Figure 7 is a vertical section through the tail-stock cam;

Figure 8 illustrates the head-center revolving mechanism in vertical'cross-section5 and Figure 9 is a. similar section showing the cam means for operating the head center clutches and for positioning the head center spindles.

Referring to the drawings, it will be perceived that the vmachine has the usual frame or vtable 21, and a rear cuttereshaft 22 revolved by any approved means, not shown, the field of action of the cutting-blades being indicated by the circle 23.

Thea-ppliance also'has a casing or covering 24 in which a shaft 25 issuitably journaled and rotated by a power-driven worm and worm-wheel 26' and 27, such shaft'having a cani 28 (Figures 1 'and- 2) .keyedy thereon Serial No. 200,902.

and adapted, through a roller 29, to actuate al properly-supported slide-rod 31 coasting` with one end of a belle-rank 32fulcru1'ned at 33, the other arm of tho part 32 being oined by a bent rod 34 (Figures 1 and 4) to a bloc-lr 35 fulcrumcd at 30 on a cam section 36 pivoted at 37 on a stationary ring cam 38 (see also Figures G and 7).

'Such duplex or double cam 3G, 38 coacts with a plurality, in the present instance six, of tail-centers 41 slidab-le in bearings in afmeine ber 4() mounted on and hence rotatable withl a main-shaft 49, referred to hereinafter, each4 suchcenter or spindle having an anti-friction roller 39 designed, during the rotation of the parts, to come in front of the cam element 36, and, during. the swinging or rocking of the latter, tobe forced forwardly into the corresponding end of the'woodenpiece of work, such roller, during the further rotation of the parts, beingvtransferred from the cam part 36 to the immovable cam 38;

These centers 41 are normally held back by coiledsprings 42 surrounding their sh'anks and the Cain-member 36 is maintained re*- tracted by its coil contractile spring 42, except when advanced by the cam. 28 and asso ciated elements.

An inclined hopperfor support 43 (Figure yit is removed, afterhaving received the ends of the corresponding head and tail centers in its ends, by means'hereinafter set forth.

las is depicted in Figure 3, the constantlyrotating shaft 25 revolves the shaft 49 intermittently by a Geneva movement comprising the usual operating parts 46, 47 and 48, such latter shaft being yieldingly heldin cach one of its stationary positions by means oi i, notched disc 51 on thc shaft and a springpressed roller 52 mounted on 'the insideof the casing.

A gear 53 on shaft 25 is inmesh with and revolves a gear 54 on a sleeve 55 revoluble on the .shaft 49, a gear 56 at the other end .of such sleeve meshing with and rotatihv six gears 57, each adapted to rotate on a shaflyS equipped with a roller-bearing 59 in a casting 61 mount ed by screws62 on and arranged to rotate step lio purpose of carrying and rotating the corresponding number of head-centers 64 arranged to be pressed into and to revolve the pieces of work 44.

ln addition, each such spindle 58 and its companion gear 57 are fitted with a toothed clutch 65 comprising teeth on the side face of the gear 57 and correlated teeth on a sleeve 66 keyed to, but slid able, on the spindle 58.

Each such sleeve is reciproeated on its supporting shaft to render the associated clutch operative and inoperative by means of a yoke 67 fitting in an annular peripheral groove on the sleeve, such yoke being lined, as by pinning, on a rod or shaft 68 slidably mounted in the member 6l and its extension, a spring 69 surrounding the shaft tending to slide the clutch elements into ope ative relation, one end of such shaft being bifurcated and carry-l ing an anti-friction roller 7l designed to ride on the edge of a stationary cam 72 mounted in the machine by means of its supporting bracket 73.

Referring to Figures l and 9, it will be observed that each of the six spindles 58 has an arm 74 iixedly mounted thereon, each such arm carrying a pair of spaced rollers 75, 75 designed and adapted during a portion of the intermittent rotation of the multiple-spindle carrier 6l to ride on a cam 76 forming an integral inner part of the outer cam 72 referred to.

The pieces of work are picked up by the head and tail centers while these rollers 75 are both bearing on the cam 76 thus assuring that each such pair of companion centers shall engage the work in the same way or relation.

In order to preliminarily position these rollers S0 that they will be in correct relation to coact with the cam, a bowed spring 77 is mounted on the inner side of the cam section 7 2 in the manner shown in Figure 9.

The carriage 78 on which all of the work is supported is slidable toward and from the cutters 23 and is pulled toward the latter by one or .more conventional coiled contractile springs 79 or by any other suitable means, and in order that the work may be turned or formed to the designed shapes, each spindle 5S is equipped with a rotary form cam 8l which when the correspondingpiece. of work is in the field or zone of action of the cutters coacts with a stationary cam 82 thus causing the work as it turns to approach or rec-ede from the rapidly revolving` cutters to produce a product of the required conformation in cross-section.

rEhe improved appliance operates practically as follows:

The pieces of work or stock 44 are placed in superimposed relation in the inclined or sloping hopper or support 43, the under one resting on the ledge 45, and, as soon as that one is removed, the others by their weight will slide down until the lowermost one replaces the former one on the ledge or shelf, all as will be readily understood.

Yvllhen each set of centers during their interupted rotationabout the axis of shaft 49 come into and stop in register with suchk lowermost piece of workon the hopper ledge, the angular position of the head center 64 and its associated form cam 8l will be positively determined by reason of the fact that both of its locating rollers will then be in contact with the cam 76 as indicated by one of the pairs of rollers as presented in Figure 9.

Of course, prior to this, the cam 72 has caused the corresponding clutch 65 to become inoperative and the rotation of the spindle has ceased, otherwise the spindle and its form )am could not be thusstationarily positioned for the purpose indicated.

While the two centers are thus correctly in register with such definitely located undermost piece of work, the tail-stock cam 36 is actuated forcing the tail center toward the head center and firmly grasping the intervening piece of wood 44 between them.

During the next succeeding partial movements of the multiple-spindle carrier 61, such particular pair of rollers 75, 75 leave cam 76, thus unlocking the headcenter and its form-cam, the mating clutch 65 is rendered operative hence causing the rotation of the connected centers, form-eam and piece lof work about the axis of the spindle 58, and, as such piece of work is transported, While thus revolving about its own axis, through the Zone of action of the cutters, the work is turned to the desired cross-sectional shape, which is determined, of course, by the coaction of the two cams 8l and 82.

After the turning function has been finished, the rear center recedes, as determined by the shape of cam 38, and the completed product drops out and is discharged down a chute 83 shown in Figure 5.

As has been indicated, this is a multiple construction and several pieces of work are undergoing the series of specified successive actions at the same time, thus giving the machine ample capacity for turning out the product economically.

Those skilled in this art will readily understand that the invention, as defined by the appended claim, is not limited and restricted to the precise and enact details of construction illustrated and desc 'ibed and that many minor mechanical changes may be incorporated in the machine without departure from the heart and essence of t-he invention and without the loss of any of its substantial benefit-s and advantages.

I claim:

In an automatic turning-machine, the combination of a plurality of pairs of work-holding centers, means to support said centers, means to revolve said support intermittently,

means to rotate said centers around their own loo lll)

axes, means to cause said rotating means to heoorne operative and inoperative on the individual pairs of centers, means to bring successive pieces of Work into a definite position, means to hold one center of each pair in a definite angular relation to the corresponding piece of Work when in such speeiied position and While said center support is ternporarily stationary, means to cause said oenters to grasp such piece of Work While such designated Center of the pair is thus held,

and to release the limshed product, including a earn comprising Ystationary and movable sections, and means to operate said movable cam section to cause the centers to grasp the pieces of Work, and Cutting means through the Held of action of which the successive pieces of Work are transported during the rotation of such pieces by their centers.

yIn Witness whereof I have hereunto set my 20 hand.

DAVID TURCOTT. 

